Helicopter Aeroelastic Analysis with Tandem Rotor

Blades - Implication on Safety and Operation

Bishnujee Singh
Department of International Programs
Azteca University (Universidad
Azteca)

Doctor of Science
(D.Sc.)
in

Engineering Management
 Foreword
• Special Thanks and Acknowledgement to Washington
State Government for the Grant issued for Research
program to Cayley Aerospace Inc, Washington, USA. &
Azteca University Board of Directors & Management
• Thanks to Dr Ricardo Saavedra , Chair of Azteca
University & External Examiner Dr Madhusudan Kulkarni
for their support during the entire research program.
 Chapter 1:
Introduction
 Due to an increased search for energy efficient and weight-optimized helicopters and the need for an
analysis of the flexible structural systems which operate within a fluid setting, the area of
Aeroelasticity is unavoidable.
 It is essential because it facilitates the analysis and design process for all aircraft especially when it
comes to both reliability and safety criteria.
 As far as aircraft faster or sonic speeds are concerned, focus is put on the model order decrease
particularly for the nonlinear and computational aeroelasticity.
 That involves the use of the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) framework whose embedded
boundary is within several computational tools. It is embedded within tools like NX Nastran
software.
 This tool makes it possible to facilitate the failure criteria chiefly the flutter to be appropriately
respected as a Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO).
 Aeroelasticity encompasses the modelling, the analysis as well as the study of the airplane's
external aerodynamic loads.
 It also involves the study of the nature of their variation and the structural mass and damping
characteristics associated with the aircraft (Brown and Line, 2005).
 Additionally, by engaging relevant research studies that are well beyond this study’s material scope,
it will be possible for the researchers to undertake further investigations within this exciting
aeroelasticity field.
 The present the topics of research study are highly diversified.
 Given the enhanced sophistication of the technology applied in regard to the systems control, it is
quite more common to attack aeroelasticity related problems through active response control
instruments for the relevant flight-control exteriors.
 Background
 The aeroelastic extrapolation considered within this study entails the derivation of a mathematical model for the
helicopter in the form of various masses inter-connected through dampers and springs .
 These are usually applicably manipulated to be able to imitate the dynamic features associated with the structure of a
helicopter entailing tandem rotor blades.
 In the same manner, the mathematical theorem applicable within this study includes the details relating to the applied as
well as interim aerodynamic loads.
 It is also includes the nature or form of their variation.
 These variations are essential especially when it comes to the prediction of the safety and failure criteria of the helicopter
(Light, 1993).
 This for instance includes the flutter margin as well as their conforming solution fixes like the appropriate determination
and implementation of changes to the local structural stiffness and the mass distribution of the helicopter.
 For that matter, this study will consequently provide a comprehensive discussion of the ideal of the Static Aeroelasticity
for the helicopter’s mild-speed process range and the concept of the Dynamic Aeroelasticity for harsh-humid
meteorological conditions operation and for top speed(Franchesca etal.2015).
 The harsh-humid meteorological conditions considered for this study are the kind where the shockwaves within the
atmosphere are highly substantial that it is impossible not to experience nonlinearity .
 In the same manner, this study involves an analytical examination of the related problems for both the Dynamic
Aeroelastic scientific and Static Aeroelastic models regarding a helicopter which has tandem rotor blades .
CONTEXT

 The tandem rotor helicopter uniquely relies entirely on its rotor blades for lift force
during flight
 Most importantly, it has got hardly any trace of research material about its aeroelastic
behavior in the public domain.
 This study thus aims to analytically model and establish a relation between the nature
and variation of the external aerodynamic environment of a helicopter with tandem
rotor blades and its internal structural dynamics characteristics(Datta, 2014).
 It would be modelled as a series of masses connected by springs and dampers.
 This will in turn enable the prediction and thus anticipation, through analytic modelling
and estimation of acting loads and changes of stiffness and deformation of the sections
in and across the helicopter of aerodynamic safety and failure criteria
 PURPOSES

 To model and relate the nature and variation of the external aerodynamic environment of a
helicopter with tandem rotor blades and its internal dynamics characteristics.
 To establish the safety and failure criteria of the helicopter with tandem rotor blades such as
divergence margin, flutter margin and also suggest their possible fixes.
 To perform numerical model simulations and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Finite Element
Model simulation of the aeroelasticity of the helicopter with tandem rotor blades and also make
caparisons of the results and analyses of the two predictive methods.
 To numerically illustrate how the possible solutions to aeroelastic failure criteria can be applied by
appropriate adjustment of the on-board masses and sections stiffness.
 To critically determine the modelling as well as the application of optimal automated closed-loop
mechanisms of feedback control as potential techniques for the achievement of the desired energy
efficient and weight-optimized helicopter designs.
 To analyze the effect of the variation of the structural flexibility of the segments of the tandem rotor
helicopter and the distribution of loads in the body structure of the helicopter.
 Chapter 2: Literature Review
 The tandem rotor designs are highly in most cases applicable in cases of heavy-lift helicopters.
 Loewy (11) is accredited for being one of the first scholars to provide a substantial review of the aeroelastic
problems especially in relation to the rotary-wing dynamic.
 Friedmann (3) did also provide another comprehensive review concerning the rotary-wing aeroelasticity.
 As much as there is no doubting the role played by aeroelastic stability especially when it comes to the
design rotor systems, there is an even more critical role played by the aeroelastic response problem and
the dynamic loads prediction.
 There is a relative scarcity for the relevant data concerning tandem rotor systems especially when
compared to data concerned with with single rotor.
 It is noted from the data collected that designs of the tandem rotor nature like the CH-46 as well as CH-47
models have an approximate distance of 0.65 between rotors (d/D).
 In terms of the frontward flight though, it is observed that the tandem and coaxial systems look as if to act
very much in the same manner as two single rotors though with one of the rotors operating in the fully
advanced downwash of the other rotor.
 CONT’D
 Lord Rayleigh is accredited with having pioneered the application of the theory of statistics to the
concept of dynamics.
 It is his work which forms the foundations upon which Taylor and von Karman’s turbulence theory is
based.
 In this same manner his work forms the groundwork for the Brownian motion theory of noise within
the acoustical and electric systems and some of the aspects of the astrophysics(Hahn, etal.2006).
 The term aeroelasticity is used to designate a study field focused on the interaction existing between
the distortion of an elastic assembly within the air stream and the consequent aerodynamic force.
 The other theory is the stationery time’s series mathematical theory formulated by Wiener and
Kintchine.
 This particular theory is concerned with the form of analysis first developed Lin. In the same manner,
theory’s application to aeroelastic complications was unearthed by Liepmann.
 Cont’d
 The tandem rotor helicopters are associated with two huge horizontally assembled
rotors. These are mounted in front of one another.
 In the current times, such a form of configuration has majorly been used or applicable
for the helicopters used in the transportation of huge or large cargo.
 The tandem rotor designs have been known to attain yaw through the application of
opposite right and left cyclic to each single rotor.
 That therefore does effectively pull the helicopters both ends in the opposite directions.
 It is essential to also note that Tandem rotor helicopters do however make use of
counter rotating rotors where each of them is able to cancel out each other’s torque.
 In that sense therefore, all the energy or power generated from the engines can be
applicable at the point of the lift.
 Cont’d
 The term aeroelasticity is used to designate a study field focused on the interaction
existing between the distortion of an elastic assembly within the air stream and the
consequent aerodynamic force.
 Relating to the above, the concept of structural dynamics can be defined as entailing
the study of dynamic properties associated with the continuous elastic alignments.
 It is such configurations that provide a means through which to analytically represent
the deformed shape of a flight vehicle at any given moment in time (Smith, et al.,
1996).
 The structural dynamics field is focused on addressing the dynamic deformation
comportment of the continuous structural alignments.
 Generally, it is worth noting that these load deflection connections are nonlinear in
nature and that the deflections do not necessarily need to be small.
 Cont’d
 While aerospace automobiles are being designed, the remarkable aeroelastic feature can
cause a complete band of conduct from being gentle to disastrous.
 In proximity to the gentle part of the band, the pilot and the passenger do not feel
comfortable.
 The microscopic level of the aircraft is spoilt as one progresses from the gentle end
proximity to the steady-state as well as the fleeting vibrations
 The aerospace engineers ought to work on the aeroelastic challenges that are static, that
is to say, challenges in which the inertia forces do not have a substantial impact(Hahn,
etal.2007).
 However, the aerospace challenges faced can also be caused by the inertia forces.
 Small-deformation concepts can be applied in the process of evaluating some of the
remarkable aerospace problems by engineers.
 Chapter 3: Research Design
 This chapter, discourses the aerodynamic and structural and thus the aeroelastic modelling,
optimization and designing and analysis of the feasible tandem rotor helicopter model
configurations and designs.
 The tandem rotor helicopter models herein are appropriately manipulated and simulated on
various static and dynamic and input environments
 It also includes their corresponding responses analysed and evaluated using state of the art
engineering tools such as MATLAB and NX Nastran
 This will help to obtain the optimal aeroelastic configurations of the models for various flight
mode transitions.
 The structural model of the tandem helicopter considered in here assumes the union at their
boundaries, of three body segments of the helicopter,
 that is; the tail and cockpit which are at the extremities of the helicopter and the fuselage
which is the middle of the two, as the major structural components of the aircraft.
STATIC AEROELASTICITY

 In this study, the field of static aeroelasticity is concerned with the study of the tandem rotor helicopter phenomena associated
with the interaction of aerodynamic loading induced by steady flow and the resulting elastic deformation of the helicopter's body
structure.
 The tandem rotor helicopter possesses “high aspect ratio” blades and employ composite objects that make static aero elasticity
more acute.
 There are important static aero elastic implications existing on different occasions. Static aero elasticity has a great effect on
the tandem rotor helicopter.
 They make reverse movements in a situation that does not favour the tandem rotor helicopter.
 In this situation, the pilot may not be certain and ends up commanding wrong inputs(Paul, 2012). For example, the pilot uses
the control stick to command the tandem rotor to the right direction instead of the left.
 When the tandem rotor helicopter is flying at a maximum speed, the big portion of the front blade undergoes a flow caused by a
rise in the advance ratio.
 The disconnection of the flow at the sharpest point of the aerodynamic flow turns into a negative lift of the tandem rotor
helicopter.
 Kinematics of the blades of a tandem rotor result into the increased stall in the reverse flow of the rotors. This worsens the
situation by leading to unsteady loading of the tandem rotor.
 Such barriers have led to restricting the speed of the tandem rotor helicopter to 250 kits.
 Cont’d
 There is an obvious and rapid increase in terms of research relating to the flexible unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
 This could be down to the massive and extensive levels of attention associated with the high-altitude long-
endurance and very flexible UAV aircrafts.
 The attention could be because of their large flexibility and light weight.
 It is common for the HALE wing to produce large deformations in the course of the flight.
 In the same manner, its structural stiffness behaves in a nonlinear manner and this is attributed to the changes in
terms of the geometric stiffness.
 Consequently, a considerable wing elastic deformation will instigate significant alterations in the configurations
related to aerodynamics and the airplane’s stiffness characteristics.
 It is for that reason that problems of aeroelastic nature and especially for the huge flexible aircraft do arise.
 It should be noted that the old or traditional linear technique for static aeroelastic investigation hardly takes into
account the effects associated with structural geometric or non-planar aerodynamic nonlinearity.
 In terms of the design requirement regarding HALE, It is suggested by Patil and Hodges,(1991) that the model of
geometrical nonlinear aeroelasticity associated with the fixed wing would suffice.
 Chapter 4: Results
 Quite possibly the most exhaustive investigations on air reverberation concealment, in float and forward flight,
utilizing cutting edge pitch control was done by Takahashi and Priedmann.
 The model comprised of a coupled rotor-fuselage framework addressing a four bladed hingeless rotor appended to
an unbending fuselage with pitch and roll levels of opportunity.
 The regulator worked through an ordinary swash plate that acquainted a similar pitch contribution with every one of
the cutting edges.
 The regulator configuration depended on an ideal state assessor joined with ideal input gains. Ideal circle shapes
were planned utilizing the circle move recuperation approach.
 The result of this plan interaction brought about a basic regulator that utilized a solitary roll rate estimation in the
body (non-pivoting outline), and smothered air reverberation by utilizing a sine and a cosine swashplate input.
 In this examination, we will frequently utilize the swashplate to stifle aeroelastic conduct impacts in the underlying
elements of the pair rotor helicopter by controlling the rolling and pitching second contribution to the primary
elements control framework.
 The undertaking to create rotorcraft having a "stream smooth" ride has moved the accentuation in the space of
vibration lightening (that is, decrease of aeroelastic reaction) from the less dependable common aloof method for
vibration decrease like vibration safeguards and isolators to dynamic control techniques.
STATE SPACE MODELS

 Situations happen, rather often, where a portion of the properties of a powerful framework
can't be communicated straightforwardly as steady coefficients in a mass, damping, or
solidness network.
 On the off chance that the issue is figured in the recurrence space, as are numerous issues in
aeroelasticity and hydroelasticity, terms might happen that have other than steady, direct or
quadratic reliance on the base recurrence.
 These terms may, nonetheless, be communicated as recurrence subordinate coefficients in
the mass, damping, or firmness lattices.
 This presents some level of ungainliness in the eigen-esteem extraction, yet it's anything but
a significant burden in recurrence reaction examination.
 In order to efficiently solve such challenges, we have to use the state space representation of
the aeroelastic model of the tandem rotor helicopter that is, state space representations of
both the aerodynamic and structural dynamic models of the helicopter.
 Cont’d
 The figure below shows the step response of the unaugmented open loop aerodynamic model of the tandem rotor
helicopter.
 The figure shows that in the open loop aerodynamic model, all the output parameters take too (up to 300 seconds) to
attain a steady state,
 thus the model itself is steady as the different output parameters, such as, advance velocity Vx, pitch angular velocity
ωy, pitch angle ϴ, longitudinal control angle of the rotor β and vertical velocity Vz respectively, eventually achieve
steady state values, given that the input is a step signal of the cyclic longitudinal input.
System Stability characteristics from Eigen-value Analysis

 Problems of stability in far as aeroelasticity is concerned are Eigen value in nature.

 When subjected to a specific set of conditions such as the Hermitian symmetry of the kernel or Hermitian self-
adjointness, it is always evident that there is an existence of eigen values.
 It is also always shown that they don’t just exist but are subjected to real valuation.
 It is further indicated that these eigen functions do form what is referred to as a “complete” form of functions and that
these functions form the basis for the conclusion that the iteration procedure associated with the calculation of the
eigen functions and values is valid.
 In the same manner, it forms a solid basis from which to prove that the bounds to the values of the eigen can indeed
be projected.
 Notably though, this cannot be said when it comes to non-self-adjoint complications.
 It is worth noting that the eigen values are generally complex and might not exist in most of the times.
 It is therefore questionable how complete the eigen functions are and because of such doubts, there is need for the a
reexamination of the ordinary proofs regarding the convergence of the procedure of iteration.
 It is also not yet known if there is a simple approximation eigen values bounds. It could equally be asserted though
that some of the more recent studies undertaken have already demonstrated a significant amount of results.
Chapter 5: Analysis and findings

The figure below summarizes the behavior of the open

loop aerodynamic model of the tandem rotor helicopter
under various initial conditions.
This clearly shows that substantial initial perturbation of
the aerodynamic parameters such as the pitch, roll and
yaw angles and the advance flight velocity all generally
result into persistently destabilized aerodynamics of the
tandem rotor helicopter.
COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS (CFD) SIMULATIONS

 The aeroelastic Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations in this study were done with NX Nastran
software tool.
 The rotors of the tandem rotor helicopter provide it with the ability to ascend.
 The performance of the rotors corporates with the dynamic features of the whole tandem rotor helicopter.
 In the forward movement, a compound rocky environment forms in the flow field of the tandem
rotor(Harris, 2008).
 The situation incorporates the effects from hard vortices with one another and with the blades.
 This results into variations on the blades and creation of a hard spiral wake in the rotors.
 These aerodynamic challenges require a couple of methods and solutions to stabilize the performance of
the tandem rotor helicopter basing on its rotors.
 In this study, experimental methods were executed with NX Nastran software tool using the Doublet
Lattice Method which is most reliable for subsonic compressible atmospheric environment(Ganesh,
etal.2005).
AEROELASTIC EFFECT OF THE DOWNWASH DRAG

• For what is considered the lifting wing, the air pressure that
exists on the wing top is much lower when compared to the air
pressure found below the lifting wing.
• Near the wing tips, there is a free movement of the air from a
high pressure region to a low pressure region.
• The flow that results is indicated in the left hand figure above.
The two blue lines in circular shape containing arrow heads are
illustrative of the directional flow.
 Chapter 6: CONCLUSIONS
 It is possible to configure the tandem-rotor helicopter configurations within the VHLH class to ensure that their hover hold action/performance has
similarities with the current MLH class.
 More particularly, these configurations are possible with the control systems which are necessary to create a possibility for precise automatic position
for hover hold as well as pilot control.
 These can be fused from the applicable designs of the MLH and the associated experience.
 The only exception to this particular rule could be within the blade lead-lag approaches and the rotor made coupled elastic fuselage.
 There might be a requirement or need for special filtering to help prohibit an unwanted exacerbation for such low damping modes through the cyclic
control responses.
 The acceptance level/ rating of the pilot is principally a function associated with or relating to the automatic control as well as hover hold mechanisms.
Moreover, it hardly appears to have a strong dependence on the overall or gross weight configuration for the augmented solidity tandem rotor
helicopter.
 The most effective hover performance capabilities in terms of the scope for the control augmentation categories considered within this study are
provided by the stick control for the longitudinal cyclic pitch (LCP).
 That is done in combination with the conformist roll control necessary to facilitate mainly a system of velocity control within the horizontal axes.
 The work load of the pilot and ultimately their ratings are improved in the event that inertial velocity response has been included within the stability
augmentation system.
 It should be noted though that systems of such nature are characteristically sensitive when exposed to turbulence.
 When exposed, their overall position hold proficiencies will vitiate with the level of the turbulence.
 By improving the system of velocity control especially for tasks concerning the precise hover hold, a positive position for the command system shall be
achieved.
 References

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 Thank you for your attention!

I greatly appreciate my dissertation committee, Faculty

members, staff, Research Supervisor and Dissertation
Reviewer for all their support during this long academic
journey!

Questions are welcome!